Previously:
Clark let go of the door and fished in his pocket for his card. He found one and handed it to the man. "Would you please call the police and tell them everything you just told me? The woman's name is Lois Lane and she's definitely been kidnapped. Her car is still parked in the garage at the end of the block and she never came home last night. Tell them that I've gone to ask Superman to look for her and I'll be in touch with them as soon as I can. If you remember anything else, please call that number and leave a message for me."
The man looked at the card and then back at Clark. "I'm so sorry. I thought he knew her."
Clark gave him a tight smile and turned away. He hurried around the building and into the alley. For a moment he stood in the exact same spot as the night before and trembled at the memory of hearing Lois say his name. Then he swiftly spun into the suit and lifted up into the air to begin a methodical search, block by block, of Metropolis. <><><>
The Other Shoe 4/10
<><><>
Saturday night
<><><>
The sun had started to set by the time Clark had checked every square inch of Metropolis' six boroughs without finding even the slightest trace of Lois. He circled back to her apartment for at least the hundredth time that day. She still wasn't home. The flowers he had left propped by her door that morning had wilted. Clark picked them up, his heart breaking. Lois had been missing for twenty-four hours now.
Dejected, he flew to the mid-town precinct and changed into his regular clothes in the alley across the street before heading inside. Clark asked to speak with the detective handling her case, Lieutenant Hess, only to be told he had gone home for the evening. Even though he understood that the man had a life outside of work, it still sent a surge of frustration through Clark that everyone else's world hadn't stopped because Lois was missing.
The sergeant on-duty promised Clark that they would contact him the moment they learned anything. He tried to cheer Clark up by explaining that a plea for information was going out on the evening news. There had to have been someone in the bar or outside of it who saw something. By morning, the sergeant predicted, they'd have a solid lead.
Clark realized in a moment of blinding helplessness that there was nothing left that he could do. There was nowhere in Metropolis that he hadn't looked. Whoever had taken Lois had hidden her so well and so far away that even Superman couldn't find her. He had sometimes felt helpless in the past, but never had his powers seemed so utterly useless to him.
Discouraged, Clark ducked into the alley and changed into the suit again. He flew to Lois' apartment even though he knew he was going to find her windows dark. The possibility that she might never come home caused him to half-fall, half-land on the fire escape outside her bedroom window. One of her living room windows was open slightly, but Clark sat down outside instead, his back against her building and stared off into the distance. What had started that morning as panic was now a cold and empty numbness that seemed to permeate his very soul.
He shivered and drew his cape around him. His head bowed and he was overcome all over again by the memory of her whispered plea for help. His throat began to close off and he fought the urge to cry. Without a task to concentrate on it was almost impossible to suppress his fear and grief.
His thoughts turned dark as he wondered where Lois was. Was she safe right now or was someone hurting her? His body tensed, his hands forming fists at the thought of someone deliberating causing her pain. It was his fault. It was entirely his fault. He should never have left her. He should have done something when he heard her call out his name. He should have checked, instead of assuming.
If only she had called out for Superman last night. That would have caught his attention. But she hadn't and he couldn't help wondering why. Had she guessed his secret while she was waiting for him to return? Or was it because Superman no longer occupied her thoughts?
<><><>
Wednesday morning<><><>
The world seemed to have shifted on its axis in the last hour. For a few brief and terrifying seconds Clark had actually started to tell Lois his secret. She had interrupted his confession with a barely concealed panic that left him second-guessing her feelings for him. If an invitation to visit Smallville could scare her that much, he was now doubly worried of what her reaction would be to the truth about her hero.
And then Bobby Bigmouth had shown up and destroyed what little equilibrium Clark had left. It wasn't the first time that someone had tried to discover who Superman really was. Lois herself had been frighteningly tenacious when he first started wearing the cape. Time and - he hoped - friendship had tempered her reasons for seeking the truth. Someone else, someone with deep pockets, was serious about tracking Superman down.
The drive from the docks to the Planet seemed to be taking forever. More than once Clark was tempted to ask Lois to pull over and let him out. It was only the fact that he'd have to come up with an explanation for why that kept him silent. Clark took another deep breath and let it out slowly as he tried to calm himself down.
So close. He had been so close. He had been seconds away from telling her everything. Another cold wave of panic engulfed him at the thought of giving someone else that much power over him. Especially now, when he had proof positive that knowledge about him could be dangerous to him and lucrative for someone else.
That wasn't fair, he chided himself. Lois would never betray Superman no matter how much money they offered her.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Lois glance over at him. Clark turned his head, ostensibly to look at the window, but mostly because he was starting to feel claustrophobic. How was it possible that they hadn't reached the Planet yet? Was she driving slower on purpose? They were only a few blocks away now, but traffic seemed to have slowed to a crawl.
There had been a spot near the curb that was open, but Lois pulled into the underground garage. Another three excruciating minutes ticked by while she circled lower and lower looking for a space. Clark forced himself to move at normal speed as they walked together to the elevator. The subject of her coming to Smallville hung between them, making the silence uncomfortable, but Clark had no idea how to address it.
"It has to be someone local," Lois said as they stepped into the elevator. "Don't you think?"
"Local?" Clark had no idea what she was talking about.
"Definitely. I mean, it could be someone from outside of Metropolis, but it seems more likely that they're local. I guess we really won't know anything until we call the number."
The number. She was talking about his stalker. "I'll call the number when I get to my desk. Maybe you can start compiling a list of all the criminals Superman's had contact with in the last year?" The elevator doors opened and Clark stepped into the newsroom and made a beeline for his desk.
"Oh, like hell," Lois shot back as she followed close behind him. "You can make the call, fine, but I'll be listening in on the other line."
There was no way to dissuade her without creating suspicion so Clark gave in and agreed.
The line rang twice before a woman answered, "You have information?" She had a slight drawl and her voice sounded like she smoked at least two packs a day.
"Maybe," Clark said. "But first I want to know who I'm calling."
"I'm just the answering service, hon. When this number rings, I take down whatever you tell me and pass it on."
"Pass it on to who?"
She sighed. "You're lucky it's a slow day or I'd be hanging up. I don't know where the info goes. I type it into the computer and, I assume, the client has access to the database."
"How many people have called?"
The woman let out a short barking laugh. "I'm supposed to be the one asking the questions, you know."
Lois waved to catch his attention but Clark ignored her. She scribbled onto a notepad and held it up for him to read. 'Where is she? Company name?'
"Please?" Clark asked. "I'm a friend of his. Put yourself in his shoes for minute - surely you can understand how upsetting this is for him?"
There was a short pause and Clark was afraid she was simply going to hang up. He heard the flick and spark of a cigarette lighter. There was a deep inhale and a long, slow exhale.
"I started covering this line about four days ago. There've been maybe fifty, sixty calls. Only a few of them actually left a message."
"What did they say?" Clark asked.
"Ah-ah," the voice turned coy. "I'm not allowed to tell you who's called or what they said."
"Were you given a checklist or any idea about what kind of information the client wants?"
"Yeah, there's a list. Do you know where he lives? Does he have a family? What's his real name? What makes him vulnerable?"
A cold sweat suddenly seemed to have encapsulated Clark's entire body. His hands started to shake as he thought about what someone might do with that information. "You said that a few people have left messages?"
The woman's voice dropped, becoming conspiratorial. "If you're really his friend, then you probably know more than anyone else who's called. Why don't you tell me your name?"
Clark's muscles went slack in relief as he realized no one had given her anything worth knowing yet. Lois waved the notepad with its scribbled questions emphatically at him. "First tell me where you're located," Clark said.
She sucked in another drag as she considered whether to answer him. Finally she said, "Florida."
"What's the name of the service you work for?"
He pictured the smoke curling around her as she thought about answering. "Voice Connections. Now it's nice talking to you, sugar, but unless you're going to tell me your name or you have something else worth saying, I'm gonna have to let you go."
"One more thing," Clark pleaded. "Are you the only one answering this number?"
"I don't know," the woman said. "Ask the front office. Bye now."
It took another five minutes of digging to locate the Voice Connections office in Atlanta. It only took a thirty second phone call for Voice Connections to tell him that their client list was confidential.
"Now what?" Lois asked.
Clark shook his head. "I don't know. It doesn't sound like there's anyone out there who has the information they want."
"I don't know about you," Lois said, "but I don't think making a list of criminals is going to be helpful. We need to find a way to lean on Voice Connections. Do you know anyone in Atlanta?"
It was exactly the opening that Clark needed to get out of the newsroom. "Maybe," he said and stood up. "I'll need to run home and grab the number. I'll get back to you."
He had been too spooked to change into the suit in broad daylight, even if it was in a back alley, so Clark hailed a cab and went home instead. He thought about calling his parents, but paranoia whispered that people already associated him with Superman. Someone with a million dollars lying around spare would surely be able to tap a phone line or two.
Clark wanted to yell in frustration at the feeling of being hunted by an unknown enemy. There was no sense in flying to Atlanta to harass Voice Communications. Clark suspected that any name he might be able to get out of them would be an alias who had paid in cash.
He paced the confines of his apartment and considered his options. He had always been so careful to keep his alter ego separate from himself. He had always been vague in answering the personal questions that people put to him. His first option was simply to maintain the status quo. No one had the answers his stalker was looking for, so it stood to reason that he was still safe.
Or he could leave. He could go somewhere else and start over with a new name and never put on the suit again. That would protect him, his parents, and everyone else that he cared about. This certainly wasn't the first time he had considered leaving Metropolis. He had nearly left a month ago; had even gone so far as to pack up his apartment when Calvin Dregg had sued Superman.
That wasn't the only reason, his mind whispered. You were leaving because you thought Lois was in love with Dan Scardino. You only stayed because she wanted you and not him.
How could he possibly leave now, when everything he had ever dreamed about was finally within his reach? He had a job he loved, friends he cared about and he had Lois. He looked at his couch and thought about how, only last night, she had been in his arms. He couldn't leave her.
What if he stayed in Metropolis, but gave up being super? That idea was just as hard to contemplate as leaving Lois. It was selfish to stop helping people simply to avoid a little scrutiny. Was his privacy really worth someone else's life?
The sound of sirens caught his attention. Clark didn't even hesitate. He spun into the suit and shot out of his apartment faster than any watching eyes could see.
A few blocks away from the Planet, a water main had broken. Clark helped with the clean-up while the city's engineers dealt with fixing the pipe. As the mess began to recede he spotted Lois on the opposite side of the street. She waved at him, gesturing for him to come over.
"Superman, I know you're busy, but I need to speak to you." She leaned closer to him and dropped her voice. "It would be best if we could talk in private."
Clark knew exactly why she wanted to talk to him. There was no way around it so he might as well let her tell him. "Were you going back to work?" he asked.
She gave him a small, pleased smile as she realized what he was about to offer. "Yes."
"May I fly you there?"
"Sure! Are you done here?"
"Yes."
Lois ducked under the 'no parking' sawhorse that had been set up to hold back the crowd. Clark placed one arm across her back and scooped up her legs with the other. He heard her heartbeat quicken and his raced to match hers when she threw her arms around his neck to hold on. As he lifted them both into the air he marveled at how perfectly she fit in his arms. Flying with Lois in his arms was a feeling that never failed to thrill him. Today the sensation was mitigated by the fact that he would lose the simple trust she gave him so freely if she knew the truth.
As soon as he set her down on top of the Daily Planet building she handed him the business card Bobby had given her that morning. "Someone is offering a million dollars for information about you. Clark and I have been working on it but we still don't know who's behind it."
Clark nodded. "Thank you. I did hear about this, but I haven't been able to find out much either."
Her dark eyes studied him and he was certain she could see right into his soul. She could certainly guess how upsetting his day had been, but she no idea that she was actually part of the reason he was so stressed.
"I know I don't know you well, but I hope you realize that anything I do know is not for sale." Lois reached out and touched his arm. "You're my friend, not a story."
A stab of guilt shot through him and he was barely able to choke out, "Thank you." Clark hesitated and then added, "Your friendship means a lot to me, Lois. More than you realize."
She didn't blush or look away the way she usually did when Superman paid her a compliment. Instead she gave him a smile that was more compassion than flirting and he realized that she had truly given up the last vestiges of her Superman fantasy. Her heart had beat faster because they were flying, not because of him. He should be glad since it meant that her feelings for him as Clark had taken precedence, but a tiny little part of him mourned the loss of her hero worship.
"Thank you." Lois touched his arm again, sending a familiar pang that was equal parts guilt and lust racing through him. "I don't think you have much to be worried about, really. When Clark and I called the number, the woman who answered pretty much admitted that no one who's called had anything to say."
Clark nodded glumly.
"I, uh--," Lois said haltingly. "I'm so sorry."
"For what?" Clark asked, thoroughly baffled.
"I'm sorry that you give of yourself so freely and yet there are people out there who want to hurt you." Lois gave him a sympathetic smile. "For whatever it's worth, I'm honored you'd consider me a friend. If there's ever anything that I can do to help you, well, just ask."
He knew he should tell her. In that moment Clark wanted nothing more than to drop to his knees and confess everything. "Lois," he managed to say in a voice suddenly thick with emotion, "thank you."
Off in the distance a siren began to wail.
Lois chuffed out a laugh. "It sounds like someone else needs you. I meant it, though. You know where to find me if you need me."
<><><>
Saturday night
<><><>
Clark wished he had told her everything, right there and then. He should have told her that she was his best friend and that he was deeply in love with her. He should have told her that if she would trust him with her heart, he would trust her with his life.
He would give anything right now to know where she was; to know that she was safe. Somewhere in this city there had to be someone who did know what had happened to her. An appeal on the news had netted nothing - not that he really thought it would help. The kind of people who would know where Lois was weren't going to call the police tip line out of the kindness of their hearts. They were motivated by baser means - revenge, money or power.
In an instant, Clark knew how he could find her. He lifted into the air and flew swiftly in the direction of Suicide Slum. Bobby Bigmouth knew lots of shady people. It was entirely possible that one of them knew what had happened to Lois. It was also possible that they would be willing to make a trade.
A million dollar secret was a small price to bring Lois home again.
<><><>
End 4/10
Let's all air out some secrets in the FDK thread, shall we?
